Exploring the universal paths of the human condition through the lens of a peace-seeking feminist.

Monday, May 4, 2015

How to Host a Badass Clothing Swap

People + Clothes!

Right-on. That's basically all you need to hold a successful clothing swap. The guests don't even need to be friends. But chances are most of them will be by the end of the night.

Hostess Sarma who happens to live in a beautiful, spacious, well-located abode on Queen street East wanted to host this event with the help of her sassy friend Tessa and they asked me to throw in my flair and no-nonsense approach.

Hosted by Tessa, Sarma & Wendy (aka: Girls In Your Closet)

We set up our event using Facebook and invited a shitload of people: People with bodies of all shapes and sizes. People who wear clothes. People who like to be with other people. Outside of the obvious "women you are friends with", I recommend inviting men, teenage daughters, your mother, your mother's friends, and people you don't know very well.

To draw interest I made up a poster using Picassa and found random Facebook pics of potential guests wearing, you guessed it -- clothes! (leaving out everyone's faces)

Our event started at 7 pm on a Friday night and the guests arrived to Sangria, wine, sushi and desserts. We urged guests to bring as many items of clothing as they wanted, plus additional snacks and booze to keep costs down.

When each guest arrives ask them to count their items and put them at the appropriate station.

Supply a roll of raffle tickets and a few pens; ask each guest to take the number of tickets per items they brought and have them write their name on the back of each ticket.

Daisy brought 26 items. She gets 26 tickets. She writes her name on the back of each.

She holds on to the tickets for awhile.

Make sure to try stuff on and provide swappers with plenty of mirrors

The number rule is simply this: Help yourself to as many items as you have tickets.... Now start hunting!

Labels-Shmables! Everything from Joe to Marc Jacobs at this swap

Your trash is my treasure

Our clothing swap had fantastic ambiance; the vastness of Sarma's apartment was a huge asset, great music, outdoor balcony for smokin', if that's your thing, and the group happened to be a lovely, adventurous murder of women!

If more than one person has their eye on the same item call the ref! This is the fun part. The individuals need to try it on, strut their stuff and the group decides who it looks best on. Muah!

Jude and daughter Mika go home full-bagged

A party ain't a party without GoGo

Actors/artists Tracy and Shay pick up anything colourful

Anjali has experience with clothing swaps and she deems ours badass

When everyone has found their desired number of items I suggest you blow a whistle for the end of round one. Close the tables. Guests sort through their piles, putting back any discards. Then round two begins and it's a free-for-all. Take as many as you like. The host doesn't want to be left with a big pile of clothes at the end of the night to dispose of.

This Wendy enjoyed her night out sans kids and contributed some well-appreciated items

This Wendy added a few macho items to her wardrobe: genuine leather Deisel fanny pack and faux-leather Forever 21 jacket

Not sure who ended up taking this skirt home -- GoGo or Shay?

Cinderella....(finally!) These killer heels went to a good home

She found this dress and they look very happy together

Now, what was the point of those raffle tickets with our names on the back? We tossed them all in a hat and drew a name for a prize at the end of the night.

Shannon wins the bottle of Tequila!

All the best at your next Clothing Swap event....signed, the FeministBuddhist.